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Sports

Lower Merion Gears Up For State Playoffs

The Lady Aces need to bounce back from consecutive losses.

There is no room for error, nor any room for fear now. The seniors realize that they can’t afford another loss. Another defeat means their season is finished, and their high school careers are over. The Lady Aces finished fourth in the District 1 Class AAAA tournament, after suffering consecutive losses to Council Rock North and Downingtown East. Lower Merion has only lost consecutive games one other time this season—almost two months ago.

But everything starts anew starting Friday, when Aces begin the PIAA Class AAAA state tournament, opening with Liberty (14-12 overall), the third-place team from District 11, on Friday at Norristown High School at 6 p.m.

Lower Merion just needs to fine tune a few things. The Lady Aces suffered a bad first half against district No. 1 seed Council Rock North last Wednesday in s 45-32 setback and one bad quarter against Downingtown East in a 46-34 loss on Saturday.

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“We feel we can play better going into this; this season isn’t over yet and anything can happen in the states,” said Lila Jones, the Aces’ leading scorer. “We were in the game against Downingtown East and I think our on-the-court demeanor changed. I didn’t think like we were there, and it was like a summer game when we all came to play pick-up games. I think the attitude was that we’re in the state playoffs and we were playing for a place right now.”

But nothing was lost on Aces’ coach Lauren Pellicane, who quickly addressedher team after both the Council Rock North and Downingtown East games, telling them that they’re better than how they’ve been recently playing and it’s up to them how they play in the states.

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“It’s been a tough couple of weeks, that’s for sure,” said Lower Merion senior Carli Swartz, one of the Aces’ leaders. “I think if we come out and execute plays well, we can be a dangerous team. We can either be amazing or we can fall apart very easily. We’re not mentally prepared, and that’s not on Coach Pellicane—that’s on us. Our coaches prepare us for everything. Coach Pellicane told us after both games, the Council Rock North and the Downingtown East game, that it’s on us the players. As long as we play hard and go 110-percent, Coach Pellicane is okay with that, she really is.

“We were scared in the first half against Council Rock North, we were. As a senior, I was never there before and thinking too much about Council Rock North and not thinking enough about our game and what we had to win. I think we need to look back at our accomplishments and how we won big games this year. I think we should have beaten Downingtown East. It was a bad effort by us, and that’s the most frustrating thing. There will be a quick attitude adjustment.”

Sheba Hall was exceptional against Council Rock North, but was limited against Downingtown East from the compartmental syndrome she suffers from.

“I’m okay, I think we have that sense of urgency now,” Hall said. “Personally, it’s do-or-die now. I hope my season doesn’t end and I have to look back and regret anything.”

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